The present invention relates generally to underground bore location systems and, more particularly, to a novel underground bore location system and method for detecting and compiling bore location data so that a bore map may be generated.
Those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that the term "bore" refers to the excavation of a hole, typically for utilities, through the ground and to the excavated hole itself. The present invention relates to systems and methods for locating such bores, but also to such systems and methods for locating existing buried utilities, whether such existing utilities were initially installed by boring or trenching techniques. Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, the term "bore" as used herein refers to new bores and to existing buried utilities or similar lines.
Boring location systems are utilized in a variety of circumstances. For example, in horizontal boring systems as are typically used for installing utilities, it is desirable to maintain a directional boring head in a desired boring path and to avoid known obstacles such as existing utilities. Accordingly, systems are known to trace existing utilities from an aboveground position. Similarly, it is often desirable to map existing utilities.
While such known systems are capable of indicating the position and depth of a bore at a specific location, they are generally unable to produce a corresponding plot during a new bore or as an existing bore is located. Such plots may, for example, track the position of a new bore with respect to known underground obstacles. Thus, an operator may, by monitoring the plot, control the directional boring head to avoid the obstacles. Such mapping of a new or existing bore has in the past been accomplished manually. For example, an operator with an aboveground monitoring device that detects a signal radiated from a probe proximate a directional boring head may walk on the ground surface tracing the progress of the probe during the bore. The operator may manually relay information to a second operator by voice or other communication means so that a plot of the bore may be generated.
Manual plotting methods are slow, inefficient, and prone to error. Thus, it is desirable for a bore location system to automatically compile data relating to the depth of a bore so that a bore plot may be automatically generated.